Arundo control project

Download the Neighborhood Work Notice and project information fact sheet:

• Uvas Creek Arundo removal: July - September 2004
  (PDF 492 KB) - 7/04
  
• Arundo Monthly Progress Report (PDF 15.7 KB) - 6/04
  
• Erosion Best Management Practices (PDF 2.0 MB) - 5/04

Update posted 9/30/03

The Santa Clara Valley Water District, after doing extensive mapping and field investigations, determined that a large-scale Arundo control effort in South County met many of the goals and commitments of the overall Arundo Control Program. Earlier in the year, Llagas Creek was tentatively considered as the target for 2003 work. However, difficulty with obtaining Right of Entry to do work on private property (a pre-requisite of the project), as well as coordination issues with the proposed Upper Llagas Creek Flood Control Project, caused the district to re-evaluate how to best meet project goals for 2003. Based on these issues, no Arundo control was done on Llagas Creek in 2003.

In light of the above issues, the district identified Uvas Creek and its tributaries as the project site for 2003 Arundo Control efforts. We determined through mapping that there are approximately 30-35 acres from the base of Uvas Dam to the confluence with the Pajaro River. The main stem was sub-divided into four reaches with the largest infestations in Reach 2 (Watsonville Road to Highway 152) and Reach 3 (Highway 152 to Santa Teresa Blvd.).

After looking at project budget, time and regulatory constraints, and coordination with private property owners, the 2003 project was further refined to be from the base of Uvas Dam to Highway 152. The goal of this seasons work is to control as much Arundo in these geographic areas as time and budget allow.

Work began on July 8. The district has used a private contractor for all labor, equipment, and chemical application to date. We are currently looking at using an additional contractor for in-stream areas.

The work area is just downstream of Watsonville Road on the south bank. Large stands of Arundo are in the floodplain away from the active channel. The property is in agricultural production (leased by Barry Swenson Builders). Properties to the south are unimproved open space owned by individual property owners. The south end of the project area is owned by Granite Rock. All property owners have been very supportive of the project.

All work through the month of July had to be a minimum of 50 feet away from the creek due to environmental regulations. All crews were trained to be sensitive to the habitat and biological issues.

Work has been done using large hand crews equipped with heavy duty mechanical brush cutters. Arundo is being cut and stockpiled on the work sites. Follow-up chemical treatment is being done using a concentrated formulation of Aqua-Master (aquatic version of Round-up).

The area is very uneven and has rugged terrain which has prevented the use of large equipment. Arundo is intermingled with native vegetation that has to be protected. Crews have restrictions on entering the creek. The stands of Arundo are full of debris including discarded appliances, car bodies, old fencing, and agricultural waste. Work areas are infested with poison oak. There have been multiple problems with wild bee hives.

As of Sept. 30, 2003, the crew has cut approximately eight acres of Arundo. Production has averaged approximately one acre per week. Chemical control has been done to most of these sites. The second crew will work through the same areas doing the in-stream stands, any mop up, and all work above Watsonville Road. All work in and near the creek will have to be finished by October 15th. The main crew is currently up to the area behind Western Tree Farms and will be moving to the opposite bank of the creek within approximately 1 week.

Disposal is the current big issue. The district is currently working with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and other regulatory agencies in an attempt to obtain a permit to burn the material. That is the most efficient and cost-effective method to deal with the large amounts of bio-mass.

For more information, contact Rick Austin at (408) 265-2607, ext. 3861.